Trump Jokes He May Not ‘Make Heaven’ Amid Israeli-Hamas Peace Deal
Aboard Air Force One on Sunday, President Donald J. Trump made a lighthearted remark to Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, saying he didn’t think there was “anything gonna get me in heaven” — just moments after brokering one of the most significant Middle East peace breakthroughs in modern history.
Doocy had asked the president whether the new Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, which secured the release of all 20 remaining Israeli hostages, might help his standing “up above.”
“You know, I’m being a little cute. I don’t think there’s anything gonna get me in heaven. I really don’t,” Trump quipped, drawing laughter from the press pool. “I think I’m not, maybe, heaven-bound. I may be in heaven right now as we fly on Air Force One. I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to make heaven, but I’ve made life a lot better for a lot of people.”
The president’s self-deprecating humor underscored the gravity of the moment — one that saw Hamas release all remaining Israeli hostages after more than two years in captivity. According to reports, each hostage was able to walk unaided to waiting Red Cross vehicles, marking an emotional conclusion to a harrowing ordeal that began with the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, in which more than 250 people were initially taken.
The first group of seven hostages arrived back in Israel early Monday morning, with the remaining thirteen released just hours later.
“The war is over,” President Trump told reporters confidently. “I think it’s going to hold.”
The landmark deal, hailed globally as a diplomatic miracle, builds on Trump’s earlier Middle East initiatives, including the Abraham Accords and Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 military strikes that crippled Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and paved the way for renewed regional stability.
Trump emphasized that peace between Israel and surrounding Muslim nations represents a historic first, telling reporters:
“This is a very special event. They had 500,000 people yesterday and today in Israel — and also the Muslim and Arab countries are all cheering. Everybody is cheering at one time. That’s never happened before. Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn’t. This is the first time.”
The president added that “everybody is amazed and they’re thrilled,” calling the ceasefire and hostages’ release “an honor to be involved in.”
Netanyahu: “No American President Has Ever Done More for Israel”
In Jerusalem on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised President Trump in unambiguous terms, calling him “the greatest friend Israel has ever had.”
“No American president has ever done more for Israel,” Netanyahu said. “It ain’t even close.”
He thanked Trump for his unwavering support — from standing up for Israel at the United Nations to recognizing Israel’s sovereignty in Judea and Samaria and withdrawing the U.S. from the “disastrous” Iran nuclear deal.
Netanyahu also credited Trump for greenlighting Operation Rising Lion and the bold Operation Midnight Hammer, which destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities earlier this year.
“Boy, you got to hear this — this is the most fitting name ever given to a military operation, because a little after midnight, you really hammered them,” Netanyahu said.
In recognition of his efforts, Netanyahu announced that Trump would become the first non-Israeli recipient of the Israel Prize, the nation’s highest civilian honor — cementing his legacy as a leader who brought enduring peace to the Middle East.